Improvement in hat-spreaders



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A GEORGE THOMAS SAvAEv, Or BYEIELD, MASSACHUSETTS;

'i Letters .Patent No.v 85,858, dated Janna/ry l2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAY-SPREADERS.

The Schedule referred to 4.in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all 'whom it 'ma/y concern hung upon the outer end of a lever, fulcrumed upon a rod or shaft, and having its short arm projecting back under a cam and crankshaft, the lever-arin being depressed by a cam, and thereby lifting the fork, (which drops by gravity as the cam rotates,) the cam-shaft also carrying a series of cranks, to each of which the top of a fork is jointed by a crankrod, so that, as the crank and cam-shaft rotates, Vthe tines of each fork have a compoundjrear and upward motion .imparted to them, to.

throw up the hay, a motion toward the carriage and over the hay, whilst thrown up, and a downwardmotion, after being vthrown forward, to bring them tothe ground, in position for again moving back to toss the hay.

It is in this peculiar construction and arrangement of the fork-actuating mechanism, that my invention consists.

The drawings represent a tedding-machine, embodying my improvements.

A shows a plan of the machine.

B, a side elevation of the saine. a denotes th carriage-ame, on the rear .end of which is journalled an axle, b, mounted upon wheels, c.

Each wheel runs loosely upon the axle, in one direction, but rotates the shaft inthe opposite direction, each end of the shaft having fixed to it a ratchet, d, with which engages a spring-pawl, c, hung to the wheel Parallel with the axle bis a fork-shaft or rod, f, which is hung, by arms or links g, to a crank-shaft, h, the shaft h being hung in stationary bearings i, and the fork-rod f being capable of vertical movement from said shaft.

On the rod f is a series of levers, k, each turning loosely on the rod, and each lever extends back over the axle b, and bears, at its outer end, theshank l of a tedding-fork, each fork being hung loosely to its lever, or so as to be capable of free backward-and-forward motion thereupon.

The inner end' or arm m of each lever projects forward under a cam, n, on the crank and cam-shaft h,

rotation of .the crank-shaft causing each cam nto depress its lever-arm m, and thereby lift the fork, the fork falling by gravity as-each cam-projection o passes the lever-arm.

Adjacent to each cam, on the-shaft h, is a crank, p, to which the upper end of the fork-shank opposite theren '1 to is connected a link, q, as seen in the drawings.

As the crank-Shaftis rotated, each crank imparts a swinging vmovement to the fork-shank to .which it is connected, thereby effecting a forward-and-back moveinent of the fork, the fork, in its rear movement, taking,

parted to it by the crank, and would not throw up thehay, as is necessary, (to turn it, as in hand-tedding,) each fork must have an upward movement, both to effeet the turning of the hay, and to bring the fork in position to go forward over and clear from the hay, that it may then 4fall in front of unturned hay; and to effect this,` I fulcruin each fok-shank upon a tilting lever, k, and impart a vertical movement to the forks by means of cams n on thc crank-shaft, which cams operate the levers, as described. c Q

Each crank and the adjacent cam are arranged'and Y timed relatirelyas follows z,

The fork-tines rest upon the ground,l when brought nearest to the carriage, orin position to take the hay. While the crank is throwing the tines to the rear, to gather the hay, the cam acts upon the fork-lever, and raises the fork, bringing the tines to their highest position at the end of the rear movement, the rear and upward movement being effected simultaneously, and with' such quickness as to throw the hay upward, so that it will turn and fall, and .be left in the best position for drying. s

The tines, being now up, are kept so by the cam, while the crank effects their return to their frontmost position, and, as they reach this position, the cam projection passes the lever-arm, and the tines fall to 'or nearly to the ground, in position to again throwback and to toss a fresh bunch of hay.

The forks are so arranged that they rest loosely upon the` ground, and conform to the uneven surface over which the machine may be passing.

The motion of the crank and cam-shaft (andthe resultant motion'of the forks) is effected as follows:

At one or both ends of the crank-shaft is a gear-pinion, fr, meshing into anddriven by a gear-wheel, s, fixed upon the axle b. As the carriage is driven forward, the axle is turned by the wheels, and the rotation of the axle and its gear s, effects the rotation of the pinion fr and the crank-shaft, while, as rotation {of the wheels in the opposite direction imparts no rotation tc the axle, the forks will remain stationary, relatively tc the carriage, when the machine is moving back.

Any suitable clutch-mechanism may be used to connect and disconnect thedriving-gear, vso thatthe crankshaft may be brought into operation 'at the hay-making grounds,and may be thrown out of gear when riding to and from the grounds.

To lift all the forks oif the ground, the fork-rod f may rest upon a lever-frame, t, by depgession of vthe front of which the rod, with all its forks, will be raised, as will be readily/understood.

The-several pairs of cranks and cams are preferably so arranged respectively, that the forks shall act in suc` yeession, as will be readily understood from the draw`- ings.

.The machine, organized'as described, is very simple in arrangement, is strong and enduring, and may be manufactured at a lowcost, compared to the cost of tedding-maohines as now made and used. v

I'For'lightness, tne forks, the levers, and the links may lall be made of Wood.

1 claim a liav-teddin machine havin a series of forks hung upon tilting levers, and connected by links with the cranks of a revolving crank and cam-shaft, the

cams of which effect the rise of the forks, while the cranks effect the backward-aud-forward motions of the forks, substantially as described'.

Also, in a hay-tedding machine, the arrangement .of the forks l l to be self-adjusting to the Varying surface of the ground over which they operate, substantially as described.

, GEO. T. SAVARY. Witnesses:

. J .j B. CROSBY,

FRNers GOULD. 

